Device for spreading and feeding fibrous plant stalks and the like



1929. F. P. GARDNER 1,737,584 DEVICE FOR SPREADING AND FEEDING FIBROUS Y PLANT STALKS AND THE LIKE Filed June 18-, 1927 fare/ZZZ! Ma film N 3513 attozuea s 2 which:

Patented Dec. 3, 1929 NI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE rnnnnmcx .P.

nnvrcn non sramtnme AND FEEDING Application flledj'une 1a,

This invention relates toa device or .ma-'

chine whereby straws or stalks of fibre bearing plants such as flax, hemp, ramie and'others, are spread out and uniformly fed.

5 My device, or machine, givesa uniform distribution of the fibre bearing plant by spreading the straws or stalksevenly; it provides for a uniform and. even rate of feeding regardless of the relative sizes. of the material 1c and the device does not injure the fibre or roller.

The same reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

' In a preferred form of construction, to

which, however,I do not desire to be understood as being restricted; I provide a sup-.

"--"porting frame which consists of standards- .10, 10 having cross pieces 11, 11, and a brace 12 for table 13.

Two side bars 14, 14ahaving suitable journal boxes 15, 15 support the brush roll 16 and the corrugated feed roll 17in tension devices 18, 18 whereby said brush and "corrugated feed rolls are held in floating relation to the companion feed rolls' 19- and 20. f 1

The corrugatedfeed-roll 17 is provided with circum'ferential corrugations 21 whichj preferably cover the entiresurface of said roll and serveto. spread out and straighten the stalks or straws to provide fora semiaiitoiv matic and uniform feeding.

I The brush roll 16 comprises a core 22 having bristles 23 radiatmg therefrom for feed 5 woody part of the plant stalk or straws.

'' plant stalks without injur'in GARDNER, or NEW vonx, N. Y.

FIBROUS PLANT STALKS AND THE LIKE 1927. Serial No. 199,687.

roll have each a drive gear 24 and 25 which meshes with similar gears 26 and 27 for drivm thgsame in unison from any suitable scii lrce of power (not shown). The table 13 1s of suitable length to afford convenient meansfor supporting bundles or bunches of the fibre bearing plant stalks. If desired an apron may be provided but this is ordinarily not necessary hence not shown. An-intermediate table 28 between the sets of rolls 0 and an end table 29'beyond the rolls guide the plant stalks through the feeding and arranging dieviceto the proper operating. machine forreceiving the fibre from the Having now described my invention What I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent-is:

1. ,In a device for spreading and feeding plant stalks without injuring the fibre or crushing the stalks, the combination of a frame and a feed table, a pair of feed rolls including a circumferentially. corrugated roll operating over said feed ing the stalks in arallel; a second set of 7 rolls including a fi rush roll spaced apart I from said first pair of feed rolls for smoothing out the arranged plant stalks and to feed the same at a uniform rate, and tension devices for adjustably holding the corrugated 580 f roll and the brush roll above said feed rolls; 2. In a device for spreading and feeding the fibre or breaking the stalks, the com ina'tion of: a frame. and-a feed table, twocompanion feed rolls on said table, a corrugated roll above one of said feedrolls and a brush roll above either of said feed rolls, said corrugated and said brush roll'being spring tensioned onto said feed rolls. i I i In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 8th day of June A. D., 1927.

FREDERICK P. GARDNER.

ing forward and further spreading or con-- trolling the fibre bearing plant stalks or 50 straws. The corrugated roll and the brush table for arrang- 

